Plato (Philosopher)

Plato was an ancient Greek philosopher, a student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle, who lived around 429-347 BCE. He founded the Academy in Athens, one of the earliest institutions of higher learning. Plato explored fundamental questions about reality, ethics, politics, and knowledge. His most famous works are dialogues, including "The Republic," where he discusses justice and the ideal state. He introduced the theory of Forms, suggesting that abstract ideals, like beauty or justice, exist in a perfect realm beyond our physical world. Plato’s ideas have profoundly influenced Western philosophy, art, and science.